Britain to woo young Indians away from US

Edinburgh, Feb 19 (IANS) The UK-India Business Council (UKIBC), the lead group promoting bilateral trade between India and Britain, Tuesday launched an initiative aimed at wooing young Indian business executives who are looking at America rather than Britain as their preferred business partners. The initiative, called Next Generation India, was launched in the Scottish city of Edinburgh in the presence of several Indian and British business executives, including Aditya Kedia, IT developer at Aegon Asset Management, Lord Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer and Sharon Bamford, chief executive officer of UKIBC.

The initiative aims to foster networks between Britain and young professionals of any nationality with an India connection. The network will also bring in young Indian professionals working in Britain, Indian MBA students taking time out of their professional life to study in Britain, and second generation Indians working in a professional capacity wishing to reconnect to India through a professional network.

The network will have chapters throughout Britain.

“Next Generation India will help position ‘modern’ India in the minds of the young executives and professionals and also strengthen the business, trade and investment ties between India and the UK in the future,” said Bamford.

Bilimoria said the initiative will “help open young professionals’ eyes to Opportunity India and build sustainable links with one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world.”

“Scotland is a small state famously open in its economic structure so will benefit greatly from fostering this entrepreneurial spirit,” added Kedia, who is a Next Generation advisory board member.

Also involved in the initiative is the Edinburgh Entrepreneurship Club, a consortium of postgraduate Edinburgh students, alumni, researchers, faculty and staff, and colleagues from the wider community who share a common goal of fostering the entrepreneurial spirit.

UKIBC research shows Indians regard Britain as having outdated views of business opportunities, and that young Indians are turning to countries other than Britain as business partners of choice.

The initiative is aimed at addressing “issues of perception and inform both markets”.